Tag Archives: American Solar Energy Society

In addition to Bellevue and Omaha, solar enthusiasts came from Bennington, Elkhorn, Grand Island, Hastings, Lincoln, York, Council Bluffs and Iowa City to attend the first-ever nationally-sponsored solar tour in our region. The event was part of the 2018 National Solar Tour organized by the American Solar Energy Society and Solar United Neighbors.

Thank you to local tour hosts Don Preister, shown in the above photo with his backyard solar array, and Eric Williams, the Wetherby family, City Sprouts, Exist Green and OPPD. The tour was sponsored by Nebraska Sierra Club, Green Bellevue and Nebraskans for Solar.

A large solar system helps power a house on Ironwood Golf Course in north Normal.

Group-buy programs like Solar Bloomington-Normal allow local residents and businesses to pool their resources and install individual solar energy systems at lower bulk rates. StraightUp Solar estimates the average Twin City homeowner could save 20 percent in upfront costs through Solar Bloomington-Normal.

While the initial investment is still expensive — an example from StraightUp Solar estimated the cost of a 5-kilowatt home system at $15,950 after the group-buy discount — customers can receive not only free energy, but tax credits and incentives that reduce the long-term cost of the system. After those credits, the same home system falls to an estimated $5,250. Read more.

A Milwaukee group-buy program that aims to provide volume discounts for homes and businesses adding solar systems is expanding citywide this year, and beyond the city limits to Shorewood. The group-buy program was launched by Milwaukee Shines and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association three years ago and has gone from neighborhood to neighborhood until now. Read more here.